Ferrari Want To Cut Escalating Budgets

[funkejay 0]

Ferrari has called for a radical cut in F1 budgets.

After a long period in which it was the best financed team in pitlane, the Maranello outfit is enduring a decline. Mother backer Fiat is in dire straits, big sponsor Vodafone is about to leave for McLaren, and the Italian team's worst year in the Schumacher era struck in 2005.

Technical director Ross Brawn said Toyota's budget is around the $500m mark, and it was recently revealed that Honda spent even more than that during the year.

'We need to make sure $100m is a more than adequate budget to compete and win in F1,' the Briton told Autosprint.

Nonetheless, Brawn reckons work at Ferrari this winter has never been as fever-pitched. Work is not only going into the car, tyre and engine, but 'improving the organisation of the team'.

He added: 'The lesson we've learned from 2005 is that we need to have a more aggressive approach.'

source http://www.homeofsport.com/f1/news/item.aspx?id=13964

My only question is, does anyone have any sympathy for them? After unilaterally refusing to join the rest of the grid in observing the self imposed testing limits and other recent cost saving initiatives (becuase it would have resulted in a perceived reduction in their competitiveness) Ferrari are now asking the rest of the teams to do just that, as they lost pace anyway, and desperately don't want to fall any further down the order.

I for one will enjoy watching their continued decline - to paraphrase an old adage: as you sow, so shall you reap. Had Ferrari ever once put the sport ahead of their own interests, maybe, just maybe, some of the other teams would have some sympathy for them now. As it is, they'll likely get just what they deserve.

[Jem of the Shire 0]

I agree with you, I have no sympathy, they only care about themselves and they're not ashamed of it. I hope they go down and stay down

[funkejay 0]

I agree with you, I have no sympathy, they only care about themselves and they're not ashamed of it. I hope they go down and stay down

Well Jem, I'm very glad to say that at least we agree on one thing!!!!!!!

[monza gorilla 1]

I agree with your sentiments entirely Jay. So shall they reap, indeed!

[funkejay 0]

I agree with your sentiments entirely Jay. So shall they reap, indeed!

Thanks Monza!!!

[AutoRacer5 0]

Nothing new, budgets cuts have been talked about for a long time. Set a cap at $250 million, and we'll see how well all the teams do.

[Senna 0]

Nothing new, budgets cuts have been talked about for a long time. Set a cap at $250 million, and we'll see how well all the teams do.

You

[F1 FANatic 1]

its always the same cycle, one team is on top, they dont care about the othere teams, they decline, they say that the sport should be more even like all the othere teams did while the first was in power. one of the smaller teams takes up the void though, they do the same thing and it just keeps going like that. ferrari will have some years of uncompedativeness after MS leaves but then they will become good again and it will start form the begining.

remember, what goes around comes around, its a never ending circle

[Ctrl300 0]

I for one will enjoy watching their continued decline - to paraphrase an old adage: as you sow, so shall you reap. Had Ferrari ever once put the sport ahead of their own interests, maybe, just maybe, some of the other teams would have some sympathy for them now. As it is, they'll likely get just what they deserve.

I agree with you, I have no sympathy, they only care about themselves and they're not ashamed of it. I hope they go down and stay down

Yup, to hell with Ferrari! They signed the Concord and got at massive US$200M windfall by doing so. No other team will get that. If they can't come up with the cash, maybe they should have hung around with the manufacturers so that all would have reaped bigger spoils of revenues. But, Italians are not renowned for their solidarity. One example is how they thought Lothar Mattheus rigged the WC draw (!). In oneself one see others. I sincerely hope FIAT goes bust Parmalat style!

[nojvnof1 0]

My only question is, does anyone have any sympathy for them?

my answer to that is a blatant no. You've summed up the situation nicely and I have no sympathy for them whatsoever. They've made their bed, now they have to go sleep in it. They didn't want to be a part of any proposed solution to high costs in F1 up until now and are going to pay the price it seems.

[AutoRacer5 0]

let Beryllium-Aluminum be brought back for engineering, and put all the wings to as they were in 2000. Money will be saved, and engines like they were in 2000 and such.

[Jem of the Shire 0]

my answer to that is a blatant no. You've summed up the situation nicely and I have no sympathy for them whatsoever. They've made their bed, now they have to go sleep in it. They didn't want to be a part of any proposed solution to high costs in F1 up until now and are going to pay the price it seems.

damn right, well said!

[pumpdoc 2]

"Tough crowd, tough crowd"..........Rodney Dangerfield

[AutoRacer5 0]

"I Can't believe I'm losin' to a rug" -Genie in Aladdin acting like RD.

[Jenson_Rules 0]

listen if renault can win the championship on

[Senna 0]

listen if renault can win the championship on

[AutoRacer5 0]

Good driver, good technical director, great pimp.